diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas-rtc.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas-rtc.c
index 34d073fb6091..77578c093dda 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas-rtc.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas-rtc.c
@@ -14,19 +14,20 @@
 unsigned long __init rtas_get_boot_time(void)
 {
 	int ret[8];
-	int error, wait_time;
+	int error;
+	unsigned int wait_time;
 	u64 max_wait_tb;
 
 	max_wait_tb = get_tb() + tb_ticks_per_usec * 1000 * MAX_RTC_WAIT;
 	do {
 		error = rtas_call(rtas_token("get-time-of-day"), 0, 8, ret);
-		if (error == RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY || rtas_is_extended_busy(error)) {
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(error);
+
+		wait_time = rtas_busy_delay_time(error);
+		if (wait_time) {
 			/* This is boot time so we spin. */
 			udelay(wait_time*1000);
-			error = RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY;
 		}
-	} while (error == RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY && (get_tb() < max_wait_tb));
+	} while (wait_time && (get_tb() < max_wait_tb));
 
 	if (error != 0 && printk_ratelimit()) {
 		printk(KERN_WARNING "error: reading the clock failed (%d)\n",
@@ -44,24 +45,25 @@ unsigned long __init rtas_get_boot_time(void)
 void rtas_get_rtc_time(struct rtc_time *rtc_tm)
 {
         int ret[8];
-	int error, wait_time;
+	int error;
+	unsigned int wait_time;
 	u64 max_wait_tb;
 
 	max_wait_tb = get_tb() + tb_ticks_per_usec * 1000 * MAX_RTC_WAIT;
 	do {
 		error = rtas_call(rtas_token("get-time-of-day"), 0, 8, ret);
-		if (error == RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY || rtas_is_extended_busy(error)) {
+
+		wait_time = rtas_busy_delay_time(error);
+		if (wait_time) {
 			if (in_interrupt() && printk_ratelimit()) {
 				memset(rtc_tm, 0, sizeof(struct rtc_time));
 				printk(KERN_WARNING "error: reading clock"
 				       " would delay interrupt\n");
 				return;	/* delay not allowed */
 			}
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(error);
 			msleep(wait_time);
-			error = RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY;
 		}
-	} while (error == RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY && (get_tb() < max_wait_tb));
+	} while (wait_time && (get_tb() < max_wait_tb));
 
         if (error != 0 && printk_ratelimit()) {
                 printk(KERN_WARNING "error: reading the clock failed (%d)\n",
@@ -88,14 +90,14 @@ int rtas_set_rtc_time(struct rtc_time *tm)
 				  tm->tm_year + 1900, tm->tm_mon + 1,
 				  tm->tm_mday, tm->tm_hour, tm->tm_min,
 				  tm->tm_sec, 0);
-		if (error == RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY || rtas_is_extended_busy(error)) {
+
+		wait_time = rtas_busy_delay_time(error);
+		if (wait_time) {
 			if (in_interrupt())
 				return 1;	/* probably decrementer */
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(error);
 			msleep(wait_time);
-			error = RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY;
 		}
-	} while (error == RTAS_CLOCK_BUSY && (get_tb() < max_wait_tb));
+	} while (wait_time && (get_tb() < max_wait_tb));
 
         if (error != 0 && printk_ratelimit())
                 printk(KERN_WARNING "error: setting the clock failed (%d)\n",
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas.c
index 0112318213ab..13496f319855 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas.c
@@ -370,24 +370,36 @@ int rtas_call(int token, int nargs, int nret, int *outputs, ...)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-/* Given an RTAS status code of 990n compute the hinted delay of 10^n
- * (last digit) milliseconds.  For now we bound at n=5 (100 sec).
+/* For RTAS_BUSY (-2), delay for 1 millisecond.  For an extended busy status
+ * code of 990n, perform the hinted delay of 10^n (last digit) milliseconds.
  */
-unsigned int rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(int status)
+unsigned int rtas_busy_delay_time(int status)
 {
-	int order = status - 9900;
-	unsigned long ms;
+	int order;
+	unsigned int ms = 0;
 
-	if (order < 0)
-		order = 0;	/* RTC depends on this for -2 clock busy */
-	else if (order > 5)
-		order = 5;	/* bound */
+	if (status == RTAS_BUSY) {
+		ms = 1;
+	} else if (status >= 9900 && status <= 9905) {
+		order = status - 9900;
+		for (ms = 1; order > 0; order--)
+			ms *= 10;
+	}
 
-	/* Use microseconds for reasonable accuracy */
-	for (ms = 1; order > 0; order--)
-		ms *= 10;
+	return ms;
+}
 
-	return ms; 
+/* For an RTAS busy status code, perform the hinted delay. */
+unsigned int rtas_busy_delay(int status)
+{
+	unsigned int ms;
+
+	might_sleep();
+	ms = rtas_busy_delay_time(status);
+	if (ms)
+		msleep(ms);
+
+	return ms;
 }
 
 int rtas_error_rc(int rtas_rc)
@@ -438,22 +450,14 @@ int rtas_get_power_level(int powerdomain, int *level)
 int rtas_set_power_level(int powerdomain, int level, int *setlevel)
 {
 	int token = rtas_token("set-power-level");
-	unsigned int wait_time;
 	int rc;
 
 	if (token == RTAS_UNKNOWN_SERVICE)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	while (1) {
+	do {
 		rc = rtas_call(token, 2, 2, setlevel, powerdomain, level);
-		if (rc == RTAS_BUSY)
-			udelay(1);
-		else if (rtas_is_extended_busy(rc)) {
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(rc);
-			udelay(wait_time * 1000);
-		} else
-			break;
-	}
+	} while (rtas_busy_delay(rc));
 
 	if (rc < 0)
 		return rtas_error_rc(rc);
@@ -463,22 +467,14 @@ int rtas_set_power_level(int powerdomain, int level, int *setlevel)
 int rtas_get_sensor(int sensor, int index, int *state)
 {
 	int token = rtas_token("get-sensor-state");
-	unsigned int wait_time;
 	int rc;
 
 	if (token == RTAS_UNKNOWN_SERVICE)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	while (1) {
+	do {
 		rc = rtas_call(token, 2, 2, state, sensor, index);
-		if (rc == RTAS_BUSY)
-			udelay(1);
-		else if (rtas_is_extended_busy(rc)) {
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(rc);
-			udelay(wait_time * 1000);
-		} else
-			break;
-	}
+	} while (rtas_busy_delay(rc));
 
 	if (rc < 0)
 		return rtas_error_rc(rc);
@@ -488,23 +484,14 @@ int rtas_get_sensor(int sensor, int index, int *state)
 int rtas_set_indicator(int indicator, int index, int new_value)
 {
 	int token = rtas_token("set-indicator");
-	unsigned int wait_time;
 	int rc;
 
 	if (token == RTAS_UNKNOWN_SERVICE)
 		return -ENOENT;
 
-	while (1) {
+	do {
 		rc = rtas_call(token, 3, 1, NULL, indicator, index, new_value);
-		if (rc == RTAS_BUSY)
-			udelay(1);
-		else if (rtas_is_extended_busy(rc)) {
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(rc);
-			udelay(wait_time * 1000);
-		}
-		else
-			break;
-	}
+	} while (rtas_busy_delay(rc));
 
 	if (rc < 0)
 		return rtas_error_rc(rc);
@@ -555,13 +542,11 @@ void rtas_os_term(char *str)
 	do {
 		status = rtas_call(rtas_token("ibm,os-term"), 1, 1, NULL,
 				   __pa(rtas_os_term_buf));
+	} while (rtas_busy_delay(status));
 
-		if (status == RTAS_BUSY)
-			udelay(1);
-		else if (status != 0)
-			printk(KERN_EMERG "ibm,os-term call failed %d\n",
+	if (status != 0)
+		printk(KERN_EMERG "ibm,os-term call failed %d\n",
 			       status);
-	} while (status == RTAS_BUSY);
 }
 
 static int ibm_suspend_me_token = RTAS_UNKNOWN_SERVICE;
@@ -789,7 +774,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_token);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_call);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_data_buf);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_data_buf_lock);
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_extended_busy_delay_time);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_busy_delay_time);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_get_sensor);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_get_power_level);
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(rtas_set_power_level);
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas_flash.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas_flash.c
index aaf384c3f04a..1442b63a75da 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas_flash.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/rtas_flash.c
@@ -365,20 +365,12 @@ static int rtas_excl_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 static void manage_flash(struct rtas_manage_flash_t *args_buf)
 {
-	unsigned int wait_time;
 	s32 rc;
 
-	while (1) {
+	do {
 		rc = rtas_call(rtas_token("ibm,manage-flash-image"), 1, 
 			       1, NULL, args_buf->op);
-		if (rc == RTAS_RC_BUSY)
-			udelay(1);
-		else if (rtas_is_extended_busy(rc)) {
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(rc);
-			udelay(wait_time * 1000);
-		} else
-			break;
-	}
+	} while (rtas_busy_delay(rc));
 
 	args_buf->status = rc;
 }
@@ -451,27 +443,18 @@ static ssize_t manage_flash_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
 static void validate_flash(struct rtas_validate_flash_t *args_buf)
 {
 	int token = rtas_token("ibm,validate-flash-image");
-	unsigned int wait_time;
 	int update_results;
 	s32 rc;	
 
 	rc = 0;
-	while(1) {
+	do {
 		spin_lock(&rtas_data_buf_lock);
 		memcpy(rtas_data_buf, args_buf->buf, VALIDATE_BUF_SIZE);
 		rc = rtas_call(token, 2, 2, &update_results, 
 			       (u32) __pa(rtas_data_buf), args_buf->buf_size);
 		memcpy(args_buf->buf, rtas_data_buf, VALIDATE_BUF_SIZE);
 		spin_unlock(&rtas_data_buf_lock);
-			
-		if (rc == RTAS_RC_BUSY)
-			udelay(1);
-		else if (rtas_is_extended_busy(rc)) {
-			wait_time = rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(rc);
-			udelay(wait_time * 1000);
-		} else
-			break;
-	}
+	} while (rtas_busy_delay(rc));
 
 	args_buf->status = rc;
 	args_buf->update_results = update_results;
diff --git a/include/asm-powerpc/rtas.h b/include/asm-powerpc/rtas.h
index f43c6835e62a..a3b4e55569c7 100644
--- a/include/asm-powerpc/rtas.h
+++ b/include/asm-powerpc/rtas.h
@@ -177,12 +177,8 @@ extern unsigned long rtas_get_boot_time(void);
 extern void rtas_get_rtc_time(struct rtc_time *rtc_time);
 extern int rtas_set_rtc_time(struct rtc_time *rtc_time);
 
-/* Given an RTAS status code of 9900..9905 compute the hinted delay */
-unsigned int rtas_extended_busy_delay_time(int status);
-static inline int rtas_is_extended_busy(int status)
-{
-	return status >= 9900 && status <= 9909;
-}
+extern unsigned int rtas_busy_delay_time(int status);
+extern unsigned int rtas_busy_delay(int status);
 
 extern void pSeries_log_error(char *buf, unsigned int err_type, int fatal);